CRNA Programs in Tennessee 2026

Tennessee anchors its nurse anesthesia training with one of the most famous programs in the country — Vanderbilt — plus a strong University of Tennessee system and the specialized Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia. Here's how the Tennessee programs compare and how an ICU nurse builds an application that earns an interview.

Tennessee CRNA market context: Tennessee combines a nationally elite academic program (Vanderbilt) with affordable public options across Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. New graduates in Tennessee commonly start around $180,000–$205,000, with locum and rural assignments reaching higher — and Tennessee's lack of a state income tax stretches that take-home pay further than in many states. The program spread means most Tennessee ICU nurses can train without leaving the state.

Accredited CRNA Programs in Tennessee (2026)

Tennessee offers roughly three to six accredited programs depending on the source and how concentrations are counted. Every accredited Tennessee program now awards a doctorate (DNP or DNAP) — the Council on Accreditation phased out master's-level CRNA entry on January 1, 2025. Confirm current tuition, credit counts, and clinical-hour requirements directly with each school.

Vanderbilt University — Nashville

Vanderbilt's nurse anesthesia DNP is the state's flagship and one of the most prestigious programs in the country, accredited for up to 30 students per cohort. Students train inside Vanderbilt University Medical Center — a Level I trauma center with deep cardiac, neuro, and transplant volume. Vanderbilt is a national-applicant-pool reach program: a recognized credential and exceptional clinical exposure, at a private-university cost that warrants careful financing.

The University of Tennessee System — Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville

The UT system spreads CRNA training across three cities. UTHSC in Memphis runs a 36-month DNP nurse anesthesia concentration and recently received continued IFNA recognition (May 2026), with Memphis's Regional One and Methodist systems supplying high-acuity clinical sites. UT Chattanooga's DNP concentration is fully COA-accredited through May 2034, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers a BSN-to-DNP CRNA pathway. Together they give Tennessee residents affordable, well-distributed public options.

Lincoln Memorial and Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia

Lincoln Memorial University's Caylor School of Nursing runs a 36-month DNP CRNA program of about 109 credit hours in the eastern part of the state. The Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia (MTSA), in the Nashville suburb of Madison, is a rarity: a free-standing institution dedicated to nurse anesthesia, offering a full-time, on-campus DNAP. MTSA's singular focus and long track record make it a distinctive option for applicants who want a program built entirely around the specialty.

Strong Tennessee ICU Hospitals for CRNA Applicants

Where you accumulate critical care hours matters as much as your GPA. Tennessee offers several high-acuity systems ideal for CRNA candidacy:

Programs want sustained adult critical care managing ventilated patients on vasoactive infusions with arterial and central lines. A CVICU or trauma SICU role at one of these systems is far stronger on a CRNA application than a step-down or community "ICU" that does not manage that acuity.

The Application Timeline from Tennessee

Working backward from a fall 2027 start: most Tennessee programs accept applications roughly September–December 2026, interview January–March 2027, and decide by spring 2027. Have your CCRN completed and at least one year (ideally two) of high-acuity ICU hours documented before applications open. With programs in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, a Tennessee applicant can apply to several in-state options plus one out-of-state without relocating across the country.

Program	Degree	Length	Location
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing	DNP	36 months	Nashville
UT Health Science Center (UTHSC)	DNP	36 months	Memphis
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC)	DNP	36 months	Chattanooga
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	DNP (BSN-to-DNP)	36 months	Knoxville
Lincoln Memorial University (Caylor)	DNP	36 months	Harrogate
Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia	DNAP	36 months	Madison (Nashville area)

Hospital	Metro	Notable ICU Types
Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Nashville	Level I Trauma, CVICU, transplant ICU
Erlanger Health	Chattanooga	Level I Trauma, Neuro ICU, SICU
Regional One Health	Memphis	Level I Trauma, burn ICU, SICU
Methodist University Hospital	Memphis	CVICU, transplant ICU, Neuro ICU
University of Tennessee Medical Center	Knoxville	Level I Trauma, CVICU, MICU/SICU
TriStar Centennial Medical Center	Nashville	CVICU, Neuro ICU, MICU

Mix reach and value: Vanderbilt and MTSA draw national applicant pools and small cohorts. Don't apply only to the marquee names — pair a reach program with one or two affordable UT-system options where your in-state ICU experience and references carry more weight. Spreading applications across the state is the single best way to raise your odds of an offer.

Tennessee CRNA salary on graduation: New CRNAs in Tennessee metros commonly earn an estimated $180,000–$205,000 in hospital employment, with locum and rural assignments pushing higher — and no state income tax means more of it reaches your bank account. Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville all carry steady surgical volume and anesthesia demand. See the CRNA school requirements guide to benchmark your application before you apply, and the CRNA school cost breakdown to compare program financing.

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